Malaysian authorities intercept 1,333 illegal immigrants near Langkawi since 2020, with 436 arrests recorded this year alone.
LANGKAWI: A total of 1,333 illegal immigrants attempting to enter Malaysia via Langkawi and Kedah waters have been intercepted since 2020.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) data shows all arrests involved nine separate cases, with 24 skippers and crew members also detained.
Most migrants and boat operators were apprehended near Langkawi and Kuala Kedah while attempting to land in the country.
This year alone saw two cases involving 436 migrants arrested at Pantai Teluk Yu and Pulau Rebak Besar waters in Langkawi.
Kedah and Perlis MMEA director First Admiral Romli Mustafa said Langkawi’s location makes it a preferred landing point.
“Langkawi is only 2.5 nautical miles from the Thai border,” he told reporters.
“So, to reach Malaysia, they first arrive at Langkawi, as it is the closest point. They are not coming to Langkawi to remain here but will be taken to other parts of the country.”
He said most migrants attempting sea entry face dangerous journeys seeking better lives.
“This is likely due to the hardships they face in their home countries, which compel them to flee and attempt to enter Malaysia, even if it means risking the sea without safety protection and paying syndicates,” he said.
Romli stated maritime migrant entries largely depend on weather conditions.
“Therefore, most cases occur at the end and beginning of the year. Due to this trend, we have deployed Op Guard since 2022,” he explained.
“Whenever we receive information on migrant entries, we launch the operation immediately. This year, we launched Op Guard 5.0. During this operation, migrant entry cases occurred, and we were prepared and able to act swiftly.” – Bernama
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